Computer peripheral tester
First Claim
1. A computer peripheral tester for testing a serial or parallel data communication computer peripheral having a data communication cable, the computer peripheral being external to a computer, comprising:
- central processing means;
memory means for storing data and control program instructions executed by the central processing means;
keypad input means for inputting commands to the central processing means;
display means, responsive to the central processing means, for displaying characters;
serial communcation interface means for converting parallel data from the central processing means to serial data and serial data to parallel data input to the central processing means;
parallel communication interface means interfacing the central processing means to the computer peripheral for parallel data communication;
the serial and parallel communication inteface means operating at different voltage levels;
connecto means including a plurality of contacts for releasable connection to the data communication capable attached to a computer peripheral;
bus means for connecting the central processing means, the memory means, the keypad input means, the display means, the serial communication interface means, and the parallel communication interface means in data communication; and
serial/parallel switch means, connected to the connector means, the serial communication interface means and the parallel communication interface means, for selectively connecting the serial communication interface means and the parallel communication interface means to the connector means for one of serial and parallel data communication, respectively, between the central processing means and the computer peripheral.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer peripheral tester includes a central processing unit and a memory for storing peripheral test data and control program instructions. A keypad input and display are connected to the central processing unit. A serial communication interface converts parallel data to and from the central processing units to and from serial data. A parallel communication interface interfaces the central processing unit to a computer peripheral for parallel data transfer. A connector is mounted on the computer peripheral tester for attaching the computer peripheral tester to the data communication cable of a computer peripheral. A serial data communication configuration circuit, responsive to the central processing unit, configures the connector to transmit and receive serial data with respect to the computer peripheral under test. A serial/parallel switch selectively connects the serial communication interface and the parallel communication interface to the connector means for serial and parallel data communication between the central processing unit and the computer peripheral under test.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A computer peripheral tester for testing a serial or parallel data communication computer peripheral having a data communication cable, the computer peripheral being external to a computer, comprising:
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central processing means; memory means for storing data and control program instructions executed by the central processing means; keypad input means for inputting commands to the central processing means; display means, responsive to the central processing means, for displaying characters; serial communcation interface means for converting parallel data from the central processing means to serial data and serial data to parallel data input to the central processing means; parallel communication interface means interfacing the central processing means to the computer peripheral for parallel data communication; the serial and parallel communication inteface means operating at different voltage levels; connecto means including a plurality of contacts for releasable connection to the data communication capable attached to a computer peripheral; bus means for connecting the central processing means, the memory means, the keypad input means, the display means, the serial communication interface means, and the parallel communication interface means in data communication; and serial/parallel switch means, connected to the connector means, the serial communication interface means and the parallel communication interface means, for selectively connecting the serial communication interface means and the parallel communication interface means to the connector means for one of serial and parallel data communication, respectively, between the central processing means and the computer peripheral. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 11)
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6. A computer peripheral tester for testing a serial or parallel date communication computer peripheral having a data communication cable, the computer peripheral being external to a computer, comprising:
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central processing means; memory means for storing data and control program instructions executed by the central processing means; keypad input means for inputting commands to the central processing means; display means, responsive to the central processing means, for displaying characters; serial communication interface means for converting parallel data from the central processing means to serial data and serial data to parallel data input to the central processing means; parallel communication interface means interfacing the central processing means to the computer peripheral for parallel data communication; connector means connectible to the data communication cable attached to a computer peripheral; serial data communication configuration means, responsive to the central processing means and connected to two separate leads of the serial communication interface means, for configuring two contact in the connector means to selectively and alternatingly transmit and receive data between an external computer peripheral attached to the connector means and the two leads of the serial communication interface means; and bus means for connecting the central processing means, the memory means, the keypad input means, the display means, the serial communication interface means, the parallel communication interface means and the serial data communication configuration means in data communication. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification